LEST WE FORGET
Flight Sergeant Henry Raynor STEPHENS
Service No: 404304
Born: Brisbane QLD, 6 August 1918
Enlisted in the RAAF: 19 July 1940
Unit: No. 1 Operational Training Unit PNG Detachment
Died: Injuries from Air Operations: (loss of No. 1 Operational Training Unit Hudson aircraft A16-3), Dobodura PNG, 27 December 1942, Aged 24 Years
Buried: Port Moresby (Bomana) War Cemetery PNG
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Arthur Nelson Stephens and Eleanor Dines Stephens; husband of Roma Dorothy Stephens, of Lilyfield, New South Wales
Roll of Honour: Brisbane QLD
Remembered: Panel 113, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
At 1100 hours on 26 December 1942, Hudson A16-3 took off, from Dobodura No. 3 airstrip having landed troops to forward areas and had taken on board wounded soldiers. A16-3 was attacked by Zero aircraft soon after take-off and set on fire, and it crashed into the sea in the vicinity of Hariko. The crew members were all wounded but survived the crash while Flight Sergeant Stephens and Private Nutley succumbed to their injuries. On board A16-3 were
Crew
Flight Sergeant Ronald Raymond Bamber (403250) (Wireless Air Gunner) Injured, Discharged from the RAAF: 7 August 1945
Flight Lieutenant Neville Gerald Hemsworth (260417) (Pilot) Injured, Discharged from the RAAF: 28 September 1945
Flying Officer Albert Horace Rodd (401835) (Observer) Injured, Discharged from the RAAF: 11 December 1945
Flight Sergeant Henry Raynor Stephens (404304) (Wireless Air Gunner) Fatally injured: Died: 26 December 1942
Evacuees:
Private Walter Barney (QX22505) (Australian Army) Killed
Private Harry Osborne Arthur Nutley (QX4811) (Australian Army) Fatally injured: Died: 26 December 1942
Private First Class Elbert H Ross (35251322) (US Army) Killed
US Serviceman (details unavailable) Safe
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Department of Veterans’ Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 163/163/637
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line
Vincent, D. (David) The RAAF Hudson Story Book 1, D. Vincent Highbury SA 5089, 1989